Gone and Back Again
by Goddess Virgo of the Fae
Summary: When Harry and Hermione finally tell each other how they feel, everything goes wrong.


Gone and Back Again  
  
Written by: Goddess Virgo of the Fae  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and co., even though I wish that I did.  
  
Summary: Just when Harry and Hermione finally tell each other how they feel, everything goes to Hell.  
  
Rating: PG13 for hints of sex and language  
  
Author's Note: This is written with thanks to my mom and a close friend, Christian, for bearing with me and reading everything that I write with constructive criticism (Mom) and enthusiasm (Mom and Christian). Thanks a bunch!!! I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please send feedback my way.  
  
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It was Christmas Eve and not many people had stayed behind. In fact, 7th years, Headboy and Girl Harry Potter and Hermione Granger were the only Gryffindors left. Ron was with his family visiting Charlie in Romania. Everyone else was at home with his or her parents and siblings, aunts and uncles, but not Harry and Hermione. Harry, because he hadn't had parents since he was a baby and Sirius was at Hogwarts' teaching and Hermione, because her parents had been killed by Voldemort at the beginning of her fifth year (in front of her, no less).  
  
Hermione curled into Harry's side as they lay in front of the fire of the Gryffindor common room. "Harry?" She started, looking away from the early Christmas present she'd gotten from him. The light of the fire made the silver locket seem to glow.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"There's something I really want to tell you."  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"I love you." Harry looked astonished and his girlfriend was looking regretful for having said anything. "Aren't you going to say something? I mean, you don't even have to say it back, but say something."  
  
"I-I love you too." Hermione gave a beautiful smile as she heard this.  
  
"Oh Harry." She breathed, pulling his mouth down to hers, catching him in a fiery kiss. He flipped over, pinning her beneath him on the thick Persian rug. They made out heavily, hands roaming under shirts. As Harry nipped at her neck, Hermione gasped out, "Never leave me."  
  
Pulling back only slightly, he whispered into her neck, "You couldn't make me go." She pulled him back up to her mouth and tugged his shirt up. He pulled back and let her take it off of him, his eyes searching hers for consent. All he saw was love. His right hand snaked between them, slowly, carefully unbuttoning her red collar shirt. Taking all of his weight on his arms, he could see her black lace bra and the scar she had received on her left breast the night her parents had been killed. He ran his index finger over it, making her shiver. Slowly, uncertainly his hands made their way towards her pleated school girl skirt. When he stopped to make sure she really wanted to, she only nodded her head, giving him a reassuring smile.  
  
"I love you 'Mione."  
  
"I love you too."  
  
The next morning, they woke up on the common room floor with a blanket over them. Hermione awoke first and just lay there with her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat and the beautiful sounds of his breathing. Shortly after, Harry opened his luminous green eyes and pulled her closer. "Morning." He murmured sleepily.  
  
"Morning love. Did you sleep well?" Hermione asked, planting small kisses on his chest.  
  
"Mmm, extremely. You?"  
  
"Best sleep I've had in years." She replied. "Merry Christmas Harry, want to do presents?" Her right hand was now tracing a path along his abdomen, touching just below his belly button and then coming back up to his sternum.  
  
"What, you mean there's more?"  
  
"'Course silly." She giggled. "Come on, let's get dressed and go down to breakfast. Remember Sirius wanted to have Christmas with us?"  
  
"Do we have to? Can't we just stay here?" He asked, giving her his best puppy dog eyes.  
  
"Oh no, not the eyes. Come on you big dolt, get up. As much as I'd love to stay here with you, we need to go get something to eat. Something I've found is that lovemaking with you takes a lot out of me. I should have guessed that you'd have a lot of stamina." He blushed a little. Hermione couldn't help but think of how sexy he looked at that moment. His hair was all messed up (as usual), tinges of pink in his cheeks, his eyes were shining, and the fire gave his skin an unearthly glow. She had never understood why girls called some guys 'yummy', but now she did. Harry looked good enough to eat.  
  
"Come on." She said, and as she sat up the blanket slipped off of her, exposing her exceptional bosoms to him. He swallowed, or tried to, because his mouth was feeling extremely dry. "Up." She ordered, yanking the blanket off of him and wrapping it like a toga around herself, covering her body from his view. Though, this put her in quite a predicament, as now he was completely uncovered. She picked up his pants, which had been discarded up on the mantle piece and tossed them to him.  
  
'Lucky these didn't fall in the fire.' Hermione thought absently. She quickly lost the thought as she felt Harry's arms wrap around her middle from behind. "I love you." He murmured as he lay his head on her shoulder. "You know that, right?"  
  
She nodded and said, "Love you too."  
  
Then, when they finally broke apart, Hermione got dressed and Harry pulled on his tee shirt. After performing dewrinkle charms on their clothes, they left the common room hand in hand.  
  
The Great Hall was looking the occasion and all but one table, as they had been in the past, were pushed against the wall. Some of the teachers were there, including Trelawny. Counting quickly, Hermione found that when she and Harry sat, the table would hold thirteen. She whispered this quickly to Harry and he gave her sly grin, nodding his head.  
  
They sat and had a lovely meal. As destiny had it, Trelawny was the first to leave the table. As she made her way to the door, Hermione's voice rang out through the hall. "Professor!"  
  
"Yes child?" She asked mistily, turning back to Hermione.  
  
"I just thought you'd like to know that, um, we sat thirteen."  
  
"And?"  
  
"You were the first to leave. I believe it was you who said that the first to leave a table of thirteen would be the first to die." She explained, completely straight faced.  
  
The seer paled and rushed back to her seat, through gales of everyone else's laughter. McGonagal even winked at Hermione. This was turning out to be a great Christmas.  
  
That night at dinner, everyone was laughing and having a good time. The teachers, including Snape, who was no longer a spy, seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely. But, it is nearly a fact that, all good things must come to an end. And so it did, when the doors burst open and men in long black robes, wearing masks, stormed in. In the middle of them was a pale, skeletal looking man / serpent. Lord Voldemort.  
  
Hermione paled, her mind shrieking, 'No! Not now! Please not now!'  
  
Everyone at the table rose, pulling out their wands. "I am not here to fight." He hissed, his voice reverberating through the hall. "I am here to collect my end of a bargain. You know who you are, so be so kind as to step forward and come to me." Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Hermione stepped away from the crowd and toward the mob of death eaters.  
  
From behind her she could hear the gasps of her professors and the people she had come to call friends.  
  
"Do not think she has betrayed you. For she has not, but given you a reprieve." Said Voldemort with a note of a smirk in his voice. "The understanding is that your Miss Granger will give me an heir, and in return I and the rest of the death eaters will give the world until my child comes of age to plan and do whatever else you white-hats do. Now," he put his arm around Hermione and said, "we'll be going. Don't try to follow, or you will be spitting on your pretty little Gryffindors' efforts. Adieu." And they were gone. The silence in the Great Hall was deafening and all at once there was noise, everyone making their opinions heard.  
  
There were murmurs of, "Until the child comes of age?"  
  
Harry only stood there, too shocked to say anything. Too devastated to be able to make any sort of coherent speech. "Harry?" He heard from his right. He turned his head to see his godfather standing there, a concerned look on his face. "Are. Are you all right?"  
  
Looking down, he asked quietly, spiritlessly, "Do I look all right?" He looked up to see everyone at the table looking at him sympathetically. He felt the tears prick the corners of his eyes and for once in his life, he didn't care that everyone could see his weakness. Because at that moment in time the only thing he wanted to do was cry. And he did. No sound left his body and he didn't shake with sobs, only the silent tears that slid down his face were any indication of his inner turmoil.  
  
Dumbledore cleared his throat. Everyone turned to him, looking for guidance. He searched their faces before speaking. "We would, as Voldemort so elegantly put it, be spitting on Hermione's efforts if we were to go after them. I feel that she has made this decision with the kindest intentions at heart and if she were anyone other then Hermione Granger I would say she hadn't thought about it extremely well. But she is Hermione Granger and she is the only student in this school who seemed to think about her every action and their every consequence. We will not remember Miss Granger as if she were dead, but as if she were more alive then any of us have ever seen her." He bowed his head and concluded his speech. "Now is a time for union. Always remember, united we stand, divided we fall. You are dismissed."  
  
Harry strode out of the hall without looking back. He went straight to the common room and collapsed on the floor in front of the fire. He gazed into the flames, remembering the sweet love making of only a night previous. 'If it was only one night, why does it seem to feel like an eternity?' Harry thought miserably to himself.  
  
In his minds' eye, he could see her writhing underneath him at his every touch. He remembered the look of trust she had given him as she offered him her virginity. It was a look of faith, innocence, wonderment, ecstasy, and bliss all rolled into one. It was a look that he hoped he would never forget.  
  
"Harry?" Came a voice, pulling him from his thoughts. Standing beside him was Remus and Sirius. Both looked greatly worried about him and he couldn't help but feel thankful to still have his friends. Hermione would have no one to help her or for her to confide in. "Son, it'll be okay. Hermione's a strong girl. Right, Moony?"  
  
Lupin nodded his head in affirmation. "There's no doubt that she's a brilliant girl. She'll be able to take care of herself."  
  
"It's not that. Last night was the first time I ever told her I love her. We. we made love for the first time as well. I can't help but think that Voldemort has a thing for stealing the people I love. First my parents and now 'Mione. I just. miss her so much. She's only been gone for about an hour and I already feel as though I want to die."  
  
"Oh Harry. We didn't have any idea. Son, I'm so sorry. If there's anything you ever need, you know I'm here?"  
  
"And me Harry." Said Remus, putting in his support.  
  
"Thank you both. I'm glad to know that I have such great people to care about me. But right now, I think I need to be alone to think about everything that's happened." They nodded and left him to his thoughts. 'I love you so much Hermione. I will find you. I promise you that.'  
  
  
  
Nearly 17 years later  
  
"Potter, Potter, Potter. You never get it do you. The deal was that we leave the world alone and you plan until my heir comes of age. You do not attack before that time." Voldemort hissed.  
  
"You never said anything of the sort. You said nothing about when we were allowed to attack." Harry spat back, hatred laced through his voice.  
  
"Fine. Play however you like. I'd like you to see something anyway. My heir, while she does not look extremely powerful, could probably kill you all easily." He turned to Lucius Malfoy who had taken up post beside his master's throne. "Go fetch them." As Lucius was about to walk out the door, Voldemort called to him. "Oh, and Lucius. Try not to let Hermione break any of your bones this time." Malfoy only nodded.  
  
Harry looked to his left and then to his right, thinking of how brave every man in line with him was to have accompanied him on this suicide mission. He could say that he was proud to be fighting beside Severus Snape, and that was saying something.  
  
He was drawn from his musings as the door opened wide and three people strode in. Hermione Granger herself was walking beside a girl with mid back length raven colored hair and deep blue eyes. Both women were wearing robes of deep blue, with silver snakes embroidered up the sleeves and around the bottom edges. Lucius, looking something like a whipped puppy, was trailing behind them at a considerable distance.  
  
As soon as she came in, Hermione scanned over the men lining the wall. Sirius, Remus, Harry, Ron, and Professor Snape. They were all there. 'Dammit! They were supposed to stay away! They still have another week until she turns sixteen.'  
  
"I believe you already know Miss Granger, but I doubt that you know my daughter, Deanna. It's quite humorous, you see, if you could have only held out for one more week, she would have officially come of age, but you didn't, so we'll have to hold you prisoner here until the time comes. Then we get to kill you." The dark lord sneered at them. He turned to a group of death eaters who were standing off to the side of the room. "Take them to the tower."  
  
Hermione and Deanna approached the guards outside of the cell. Deanna was the first to speak. "We wish to speak with the prisoners alone. Please leave us."  
  
They looked at one another and finally the one to the right of the door spoke. "I don't think the master would be very approving of that. We'll stay here and you can talk to them."  
  
"You don't seem to understand my daughter's request. We wish to speak to the prisoners alone. As in, by ourselves." The guards didn't budge. Hermione let out an exaggerated sigh and said, "Fine, have it your way." She glided forward and, in each hand, grabbed them between the legs and squeezed.  
  
Hard.  
  
Both men let out cries and tried to dislodge themselves from her ever clenching hands. This made her hold on even tighter. "Listen and listen closely." She whispered coldly. "You will do as I say or I will make you sorry you were born as men. As soon as I let go, you are going to leave this room and stay away until midnight. We have business here. Is that understood?" When neither answered, she increased the strength of her hold slightly. "Is that understood?"  
  
"Yes." They both wheezed out over and over again, saying what was required to relieve them of the pain they were in.  
  
"Good." She let them go and they made a beeline for the door. Then she turned her attention to the cell door, where she could see all of its occupants looking decidedly uncomfortable and unconsciously crossing their legs. She smirked a little as she took the key from its ring on the wall. She strode back to the cell door, opened it and with her child at her side, slipped in with them.  
  
"Hello then." Hermione said cheerfully. They gave her looks of disbelief. "If you want to get out of this, lend an ear." She began, getting down to business. "Getting you out of here shouldn't have as many problems as you'd think. I want you to know though; I've changed since you last knew me. I'm no longer the naïve little girl I was while in attendance at Hogwarts'. This place does that to you." She murmured the last part to herself. "Come. I'll need to take you to my quarters for the time being." They followed her hesitantly, unsure of the new woman before them.  
  
It seemed like a miracle that they passed no one, but perhaps Hermione just had a particularly good sense of direction.  
  
It was beginning to feel like forever when they finally reached her chambers. "Serpents suck." She mumbled to a painting of a demetor kissing a girl that looked eerily like Hermione herself. The picture swung wide to reveal a beautiful room. The walls were deep purple and the furniture and such were cherry wood. A gorgeous four-poster called attention with its silver and purple hangings. But the one thing in the room that called the most attention, were the people already in it, sitting on the plush purple couch.  
  
The escapees began to panic as the people stood up. They were surely going to tell Voldemort that Hermione was trying to help a bunch of prisoners. Sensing their thoughts, Deanna rushed forward and swept the two men into a hug, showing that these people were friends. It didn't matter that they were both Malfoys.  
  
"Draco, Kaleb, I'm glad to see you." Hermione said, nodding to them in a much more formal fashion then her child.  
  
"Mya. What's all this, too good to give your big brother a hug?" Darco asked, sweeping her into his arms. While she was there, Draco whispered into her ear, "Just figured we could give them a bit of a show." Smiling, she stepped back. "So, what's the plan?" He tried not to laugh at the shocked expressions on their faces.  
  
"I was thinking that, around midnight, they could probably go from the broom tower. It's not as heavily guarded as the grounds." She turned to Deanna and Kaleb and said, "You guys can go to Deanna's room if you want."  
  
"Thanks Mum." Deanna said, pecking her mother on the cheek.  
  
"Be good." Hermione told the closing portrait. Then her face turned serious as she turned to Harry. "You have to promise me that you'll take her with you, and that you'll keep her safe."  
  
"But, why?" He asked confusedly.  
  
"She-- she's not evil and she never has been. She's not even really his daughter."  
  
"Then whose is--."  
  
Hermione, saying, "She's yours" cut him off.  
  
"How is that possible?"  
  
"Christmas Eve, seventh year, common room floor. Ringing any bells? I found out that she was yours when she was born. The mid-wife gave her to me and she had your eyes. Draco and I cast a charm on them, turning them blue so Voldemort wouldn't find out. I was afraid that if he knew that she was your child, he would kill her." She explained to him and it appeared everyone else, minus Draco.  
  
"Does she know?" Snape asked quietly.  
  
"Oh yes. I made it clear to her as soon as she could understand and not tell that, that monster is not her father.  
  
"What has she been taught here?" Asked Ron, getting his two sickles in.  
  
"Most of the things we were taught in Hogwarts', plus a lot of dark arts and potions."  
  
Surprising everyone, Snape asked suddenly, "What types of potions?"  
  
"Mostly dark potions. Pain potions; that sort of thing. It was only because of my insistence that he let her learn anything about light arts. You should have seen it when she saw her first hippogriff. Actually, you really should have seen her when said hippogriff chased Lucius Malfoy around for about an hour for not showing proper respect. I've never seen a child laugh so hard." She explained. She and Draco chuckled at the memory. With a wave of her hand, she conjured up several chairs and they sat down and began talking about the old times with a distant air of discomfort about them.  
  
The portrait swung open and Deanna and Kaleb came into the room. They walked over to the group of adults and Deanna plopped down sideways on her mother's lap, giving her a peck on the cheek. Harry looked at her and saw her much differently then he had before. She was his. Someone he could say he had helped create. He felt a swell of pride rise in his chest as he watched his daughter and the woman he had never stopped loving sitting together. They were so beautiful.  
  
"We've come to a conclusion De. You've got to go with your father, back to Hogwarts'." Hermione said to the teenager in her lap.  
  
She immediately shifted to where she was sitting on the couch and not her mother. "What? No, I'm not leaving you."  
  
"I agree with her on that one Herm. We can't just go on without you. I mean, you came, you had sex with the guy and you had a kid. Isn't that enough to constitute holding up your end of the deal?" Asked Ron passionately. Everyone but the Malfoy's nodded. They knew how stubborn she could be and that usually once she made her mind up about something, she didn't change it  
  
With a sigh, she spoke calmly. "This isn't anyone but my choice. If I can, I'll come, but not at the same time as you all. You won't have much time after you leave. They'll try to come after you and if I'm here I can distract them. Kaleb," She said, directing her comment at the younger Malfoy. "I want you to lead everyone to Hogwarts' as you've flown the course quite a few times yourself."  
  
"What about father?" He asked, gesturing to Draco.  
  
"I'm staying as well. Mya needs all the help she can get." Draco replied.  
  
Kaleb nodded silently. He had learned long ago that both his father and his godmother (Hermione) were headstrong and could not be moved in these kinds of situations. "As you wish. But you know that I don't agree. When are we leaving?"  
  
Hermione pulled a small watch necklace from beneath her robes and looked at it. "It's ten till eleven, so until about eleven thirty we'll just have to wait."  
  
Deanna let out a frustrated sigh and said, "I'm with Kaleb on this one. I don't agree, but fine, whatever you say. Come on K, let's go back to my room." With that she got off the couch and stormed out of the room, Kaleb right behind her. They walked a few portraits away from Hermione's room and came to one of a basilisk with its eyes clawed out. "Sparkle." She muttered darkly to the painting. It swung open and they walked into the blue and silver room. She plopped down on her navy blue comforter and felt the bed sink under Kaleb's weight as he sat beside her.  
  
"I can't believe her! How can she want me to just leave her here?! I've lived with Voldemort for my entire life, so I know what the bastard will do to her when he finds out that she helped them escape. When she helped me escape. None of the others understand. He won't kill her; he'll wait until she begs. And knowing my mother, that'll be quite a while." She raged, her voice gradually losing crescendo. "Oh K, what am I going to do?"  
  
He pulled her to him, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She lay with her head on his chest and her left leg thrown over his. "You're going to leave this place and come to Hogwarts' with me and your father. Mya knows what she's getting herself into, just like she did when she came here in the first place. Trust your mum, she's a strong and a smart lady."  
  
"Thank you Kaleb. You have no idea how much it means to me to have you tell me things like that. I just worry so much about her. Ever since I was born, she's been my protector and my confidant and now she might just not be there. I'm so happy to be able to know my father, but I don't want to have to sacrifice mum for him." She was nearly crying by the time she was through. Kaleb pulled her up until she was lying on top of him, her hands on either side of his head and her legs sandwiched in between his.  
  
"You're going to be fine and so is Mya. You are easily the two strongest witches I have ever met and ever will. You're also probably the two strongest women I've ever met and I have no doubt that you will both survive this. I know it's hard, but have a little faith." He said gently, stroking his hand up and down her back. She leaned down and caught his lips in a searing kiss, as his hands locked firmly about her waist, pulling her even closer to him, if it was even possible.  
  
Reluctantly, she broke the kiss, gasping for air. "We need to go. She said forty minutes and it's been nearly half an hour." She said, pulling away from his embrace. They both got off the bed and straightened their rumpled appearances. As they neared the portrait hole, Kaleb grabbed her and pushed her into the wall, pressing himself against her, and then kissed her so passionately she was glad he was there to hold her up.  
  
After kissing her firmly, he drew away from her and said, "Keep that in mind while we're in the air." She nodded silently, not being able to form the words. He tucked a piece of loose hair behind her ear and stepped back, toward the portrait hole. "Come on love, let's get back."  
  
She took his hand and they walked back to Hermione's room. As they entered, Hermione stood up and embraced her daughter. Everyone started when she spoke. "I can probably get you to the broom tower itself, but after you're in the sky, I can't help you." She checked her watch and continued, "It's nearly time, we leave in five minutes." She pulled Deanna aside and hugged her fiercely, conveying her every feeling into that one hug. "I am so proud of you, of who you've become. I feared, before you were born, that you wouldn't accept my teachings and that you would instead follow Voldemort. I'm so glad that my fears were never brought to life. Listen close to your father and everything he has to say. And, Deanna, make sure he knows how much I love him."  
  
Deanna nodded her head and then rested it on her mother's shoulder. "I also want you to have something. Harry gave me this the night you were conceived." She pulled a gorgeous silver locket from in her robes and took it off. With a serene smile she clasped it around her daughter's neck and held her at an arm's length to admire it. "It looks just as beautiful as it did the day I received it." With a sigh, Hermione's hands dropped from their perch on her child's shoulders. "I love you Deanna, don't ever forget that."  
  
"I won't Mummy." In unison, they bowed their heads slightly, a life-long tradition they'd held up. When they had to face Voldemort or some other arduous task, they would show their support by bowing. On occasion they would bow to Draco and Kaleb as a sign of friendship.  
  
"Come child, it's time." Hermione said, grasping her daughter's hand, leading her back to the group of people. With a slight nod from Hermione to everyone, they left. No words were needed.  
  
They walked toward the broom tower, up stairs, along halls, and through hidden passageways. They were nearly home free when Sirius let out a yell. Turning back, they saw Lucius Malfoy standing over a completely bound Sirius with an evil grin on his face. "Not so fast." He drawled. "I knew you would never be loyal to him." He spat at Hermione and Deanna.  
  
"Not to sound too terribly American, but duh." Deanna retorted.  
  
The elder Malfoy's eyes narrowed and he gave his hostage a vicious kick to the side. Everyone jumped when Remus let out a feral growl that echoed throughout the hallway chillingly. Before Lucius had time to react, he was crushed against the wall, his feet a few inches from the floor and his wand lay a couple meters from him. With a rough shove against the wall from Remus, he was unconscious.  
  
Draco picked up his father's wand and pocketed it. With his own, he released Sirius from his magical restraints. The second Sirius moved, Remus sprang at him, giving him a full out kiss on the lips. Before they could get too in to it, they pulled apart. With a light laugh, Hermione said, "Well, that answers that question. Let's get moving." They met no one else after that. They reached the tower in no time at all. Lining one wall was an assortment of brooms. Big ones, small ones, long ones, short ones. It was every quidditch players' fantasy.  
  
"Everyone get a broom that'll fit you and get ready to go." Once everyone had picked a broom, they turned back to her and she gave them some last minute advice. "Follow Kaleb at all times. Also, when you're leaving the grounds of the castle, make sure you fly at least twenty feet to the ground. The wards guarding this place stretch far higher then I'd ever like to ponder. There's nothing else that I can think of. Just. be careful." Everyone but Hermione and Draco mounted a broom and flew to the window.  
  
With one last look at her mother and a small bow of her head, Deanna dove from the tower on her firebolt.  
  
Without warning, Harry stopped his broom and dropped it, then rushed over to Hermione and kissed her hard and desperate.  
  
When they pulled back, there were tears in both sets of eyes. "I love you." Harry said, his voice breaking slightly. That was when the shouts started to be heard.  
  
"You must go, now!" Harry didn't move. "I love you too, now go!" She said gravely. With a nod, he hopped on his broom and headed toward the window. She whipped her head around to look at Draco. "Go with them."  
  
"No, I said I was staying with you."  
  
"Draco, don't make me force you. You know I can."  
  
"Please don't make me do this Mya."  
  
With a sad smile, she only said, "I love you. brother. Protect our children." And then she shoved a broom into his hands and pushed him to the window. With one last glance, to see death eaters barging into the room and tackling his best friend, he jumped out the window, broom in hand, and disappeared from view.  
  
  
  
The next day  
  
They all sat in Professor Dumbledore's office, reliving what had happened. Kaleb and Draco sat very close to Deanna the entire time, offering their support to the forlorn looking young woman.  
  
Draco was just explaining how he and Kaleb had been undercover since day one, when there was a light tapping on the window. Looking out the window, they saw a beautiful, but wounded phoenix. Without a second thought, the headmaster pulled open the window and let the glorious bird inside. It fluttered down onto the desk in the middle of everyone and settled there with it's head drooping slightly.  
  
With a shriek, Deanna ran to the bird and wrapped her arms around it, sobbing and laughing at the same time. As Deanna embraced the bird, Draco and Kaleb let out boisterous whoops and hugged each other. Everyone else watched on, puzzled. Understanding dawned on them as the injured bird changed into the battered body of a woman. A woman with brown hair and a slashed deep blue robe.  
  
Hermione Granger lay before them, her robe in tatters, bruises and welts all over her body. "Mama, mama, mama." Deanna repeated over and over again, tears falling onto the nearly unconscious form lying on the desk. Dumbledore moved toward the mother and daughter cautiously.  
  
"Miss Potter." He started quietly. She looked up, dazed at the name that only her mother and godfather (Draco) had ever called her by. Seeing that he had her attention, the old man continued. "We need to get Hermione some medical attention. We need to move her Miss Potter. Will that be alright?"  
  
"Of-of course." She took a slow step away from her mother and when Dumbledore had Hermione floating, Deanna flung herself into Kaleb's arms, peaking out to watch as the head master transported he and the practically unconscious figure to the hospital wing.  
  
Everyone stayed stock-still and then, as if it was planned, they all moved for the door as one. They all ran for the infirmary, not stopping until they reached it. Sweating and out of breath, they entered to see Hermione in one of the beds, Madame Pomfrey moving swiftly around her. Upon seeing them, the nurse promptly kicked them out. Deanna was tempted to give the old hag a piece of her mind, but refrained from doing so, as the woman could help her mother.  
  
Pacing became a very popular thing outside of the hospital door. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Professor Dumbledore came out wearing a tired smile, the twinkle in his eyes standing out immensely. "I know you'll be very happy to hear that Miss Granger will be fine." Delighted yells came from everyone at the news. Even Snape gave a grin, his usual smirk no where to be found. After everyone was calm enough to listen again, he continued. "Hermione has shared with me the trials she had to undertake to get here and, as you could all guess, they were not very pleasant. She will be a bit weak for a while and I ask you all to aid her in whatever way you can. Don't ask her about what happened to her unless she voluntarily wishes to give the information. I assure you, that with time, she will desire to speak of it." Everyone nodded in understanding. "She is sleeping now, but you may go in and see her if you wish."  
  
One by one, they trooped into the room.  
  
And there she was, in all her hospital-gowned glory. She was tucked under the covers, her hair spread out across the pillow and her lips tugged into a contented smile. Deanna stared at her mother in awe. She'd rarely ever seen such a look of peace upon the woman's face in all her life.  
  
Only when she reached up to scratch an itch on her cheek, did she realize that she'd been crying. "Mama." She breathed, smoothing the older woman's hair away from her face. With a deep sigh, she kneeled beside the bed and rested her head beside her mother's on the pillow. She was completely aware and thoroughly uncaring of everyone around her. "Thank you Mummy, thank you." She whispered softly.  
  
Though she prayed for a response, no sound apart from the breathing of the room's occupants was heard. Getting up from her spot on the floor, Deanna drew in a shaky breath and visibly composed herself. She turned to Dumbledore and asked, "You said she would wake up right?" He nodded. "Then I see no point in standing around here mourning for something which we have no control over." Everyone beheld her with shock. "My mother raised me as a child of logic. I don't plan to stop heeding her teachings just because she's temporarily out of commission." She explained, wiping any remaining tears from her eyes as they clearly hardened. "Now Kaleb, I'm hungry and you know how I am when I haven't eaten in a while. Would you be so kind as to escort me to the kitchens?"  
  
He nodded mutely and they left. Harry watched speechless as his daughter left the room, seemingly unconcerned about her mother. Draco put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and said, "This is just her way of coping. Ever since she was little, when anything bad happened to Hermione, she and Kaleb would go off somewhere and when she came back, she would be all the better for it. Closing up is in her nature. Just wait a little, give her a little time."  
  
Harry nodded in understanding and conjured a chair to sit on beside the bed.  
  
And he waited.  
  
Hermione woke up three days later, her head pounding, and her hand extremely warm. Looking down, she saw Harry. He was sleeping; holding her right hand in both of his and his head was resting on the edge of the bed. No one else was in the room, therefore there were no sounds aside from Harry's even breathing and her own, heavy breaths. Looking at the night table, she saw several books, a glass of water and a giant chunk of chocolate.  
  
Without jostling Harry, she got the water and took a sip. Setting it back down, she picked up a small piece of the chocolate and nibbled at it. Looking at her choices of reading, she was surprised to find 'William Shakespeare, the Poems' among them.  
  
With the thought, 'Ah, Draco's been here', she began reading the book of poetry.  
  
Harry woke up a few hours after Hermione did, when Madame Pomfrey came in and dropped the stack of clean bedpans she was carrying. "Miss Granger, you're awake!" She exclaimed, her voice echoing throughout the room.  
  
Harry's head shot off the bed as Hermione said sarcastically, "Yes, I'd noticed."  
  
The mediwitch composed herself enough to take all of her patients' vitals, all the while Harry stared at his love in astonishment. When Pomfrey left to notify the headmaster, he managed to whisper, "Y-you're awake."  
  
She nodded, a smile slowly coming upon her face. She laughed joyfully when he hugged her. "I've missed you so much." She murmured in his ear. "I love you."  
  
He laughed right along with her, and then pulled her into a heated kiss. They broke apart at a loud 'ahem'. In the room with them, were Dumbledore, Draco, Kaleb, Deanna, Remus, Sirius, and Snape. "Well someone's certainly looking better." Deanna joked, drawing a laugh from everyone.  
  
Later that night, Harry and Deanna were seated with Hermione in her infirmary bed, getting to know each other better. Hermione watched the exchange between father and daughter with a serene look on her face. After the young Miss Potter fell asleep at the foot of the bed, Harry and Hermione cuddled up together at the head.  
  
"You know that Voldemort's still out there." Harry started. It wasn't a question, more like an acknowledgement.  
  
"I know love. But that doesn't matter right now. Not when I'm here with the two people I love more then anything. It's like what Hagrid said back in forth year. 'What's coming will come, and we'll meet it when it does.' We will. But now, I just want you to hold me."  
  
And he did, her recollection echoing through his mind.  
  
It would come, and they'd be ready.  
  
***The End*** 


End file.
